Propelling mechanism



Oct. 28,V 1930. R J, CATLETT v 1,780,116

PROPELLI NG MEvCHANI SM Filed Aug. 2o. 1927 s sheets-sheet 1 Sn'vunror mw@ ML\ l Oct. 28, 1930.

R. J. CATLETT PROPELLING MECHANI sM 3 Sheets-She-et 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1927 "Oct, 28, 1930. R. J. cATLETT 1,780,116

t PROPELLING MEGHANISM med Aug. 2o, 192.7V s sheets-sheet s Inventor Bywwzm Attorney 2o type of propeller.

Patented Oat.' 28, VV1930 UNITEDL STATES ROBERT JEFFERSON GATLETT, oFNonrH Torn-KA, KANSAS .Y i.

y PROPELLING Mechanism' Application mea august 2o, 19217'. sensi-'Na 214,132?.

The present inventionY relates to a. propel- The purpose of the invention is to provide 10 a propelling mechanism which greatly simplies the propellers now in use on aeroplanes of the helicopter type and which furnishes a more efiicient traction propeller foran aeroplane when in flight, and makes it possible 1.3 for an aeroplane to sustain itself at a given altitude more eectively while in flight.

My improved mechanism greatly increases the air displacementk in bothlineal and cubic feet when driven at a like speed to the present This is of great value as it makes it possible for the aeroplane to carry a great weight with less wing surface and further makes it possible for `the aeroplane to carry considerable weight without planes.

i? i This propeller mechanism, through the motion of its propeller blades, piles up a commotion or pressure of air behind it which gives it a firm backing to push against. The propeller mechanism makes possible vertical ascent and descent. lt also makes it possible to remain stationary in any desired altitude or to go forward or rearward, upward or down ward, at the will of the operator. The prov peller mechanism is designed to operate to the side of the aeroplane, thereby setting up less friction than the type of lpropeller now 1n common use. .Y Y

Thepresenttype of propellerin common usethrows a strong air current against the 10 body of the machine, and this energy which is used to overcome the resistance set up by the body is saved by the use of my improved propeller structure.

An importantobject of theinvention is to providea propeller mechanism ofthis nature which is exceedingly easy to manipulate, one which is eiiicient and reliable in its operation, strong and durable, compact and convenient, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose 50` for which it is designed. Y

vViththe above and numerous other objects i in' view-as thedescription proceeds, as will appear, ,theinvention resides in certain novel featuresofconstruction', and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described andy claimed.

` In the drawing: l f A `Fg`ure`1 is a top plan viewfof an aeroplane embodying the features of my invention, l

I Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section throughy the propeller mechanism, Y l e Fig. 3 isan end elevation ofone of the propellerframes, 7 fn. 'f ,NW1

Fig. Llisa detail View through the adjusting mechanism yof the propeller mechanism,

and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation showing one of theframes and a diagram of the propeller bladeskin different positions of their cycles; f y y .Y

- Referringto the drawing in detail, it1will be seen that'designates the fuselage of an aeroplane, having the front wings 6 and rear Vwings 7. Thi'sftype of aeroplane has been shownimerely-by vway of example. f A casing 8v is mounted inthe body and a shaft 9 is vjournaled in the casing, and isA operated exteriorly of the casing by a wheel 10 or in any other suitable manner. Interiorly .ofthe casing, there-is -disposed on the shaft 9, al worm Bearings 12 and: 13 areprovided in the :fuselage forrotatably receiving a pair of alined hollow shafts 14one on each side of the'casing 8. Drive gears 15 are fixed on@ the inner ends ofthe shafts `14 and are 'operatively connected vviths'uitableV prime movers 16 which may be in the Aform of internal combustion engines, ysuch as are nowl in common use. A frame 17 is mounted onthe outer end of each shaftlil. Y A shaft 18 is journaled thru the shafts 14C and through the casing 8 and has mounted thereon within the casing `8, a

mounted on each frame 17 and are in mesh E100 with the intermediate pinions 18. These gears 21 are located at the ends of their respective frames. A propeller blade 22 is operativel connected with each gear 21.

It wi l thus be seen that by rotation of the wheel 10 the angle of the blades 22 of each pair may be changed as desired. This is ac- 'i complished through the intermediacy of the worm 10, the Worm gear 19, shaft 18, pinions 20 and 18 and gears 2l. The pinions 20 and 18 and the gears 21 must be proportioned so that gears 21 make one-half rotation onv their own axes each time the pinions 18 make one complete revolution around the pinion 20.` p If the blades are disposed as is shown in full lines in Fig. 5, it will be seen that as the frames rotate 1n the direction indicated by the arrows, the blades will be fixed so as to tend to lift the aeroplane vertically. This may be easily ascertainedby following the cycles through which the blades revolve as is shown in dotted lines in the figure. However, if the blades are positioned in relation to each other as is indicated in Fig. 3, it will v be seen that the aeroplane will be propelled forwardly as this is the same condition as though we turned the sheet of drawings containing Fig. 5, upright, and the diagram may then be followed for forward flight.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility, and advantages of the invention will now be clearly understood without a more detailed description thereof. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail, because in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated ts desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to ywit-hout departing from the spirit or scope Vof the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is VIn a propeller mechanism for vehicles comprising, a pair of hollow shafts journaled transversely through the vehicle body with .their inner ends disposed in spaced relation, means connecting with the inner end of said Vshaft for driving the same, an elongated -frame secured to the outer end of each shaft, 'a pair of blades rotatably mounted on the Vouter side of each frame, a solid shaft journaled through said hollow shafts, means betweenthe inner ends of said hollow shafts `for rotating said solid shaft, said blades being intergeared tothe ends of said solid shaft and adapted to be rotated thereby.

' In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

ROBERT JEFFERSON CATLETT. 

